Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of automatic telephone call distributors and, more particularly, to such call distributors having a multiline internal telephonic unit which places a received call on hold on one line and performs an outdial call on another line of the internal telephonic unit.
Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. .sctn.1.97-1.99.
Automatic call distributors employing a multiport switch controlled by a central control processing unit for selectively interconnecting agents stationed at a plurality of internal telephonic units with customers at external telephonic units via an external telephonic public switching network are well known. Examples of such call distributors are shown in patent application U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,903 of Jones et al. entitled "Multichannel Telephonic Switching Network With Different Signaling Formats and Connect/PBX Treatment Selectable For Each Channel" issued Dec. 7, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,611 of Jones et al. entitled "Pulse Modulated Self-Clocking and Self-Synchronizing Data Transmission and Method for a Telephonic Communication Switching System" issued Aug. 18, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,004 of Lenihan et al. entitled "Tone and Announcement Message Code Generator for a Telephonic Switching System and Method" issued Jun. 30, 1992 and U.S. Pat. No 4,627,047 of Pitroda et al. entitled "Integrated Voice and Data Telecommunications Switching System" issued Dec. 2, 1986.
An agent stationed at an internal telephonic unit in known call distribution systems frequently answers many different types of calls from customers during a working day. In many situations the agent requires assistance from another agent, a lead agent or a supervisor to obtain the proper information for servicing the customer call. The agent places the customer call on hold and dials the other agent or supervisor. However, the other agent or supervisor at another telephonic unit often is also not capable of answering all the questions asked by the customer to the original servicing agent. Therefore, the other agent or supervisor must place the agent servicing the call on hold and outdial another individual, such as another supervisor, having the relevant information for the customer. Therefore, in.this situation the agent servicing the call has the customer call placed on hold while at the same time is being held by the lead agent or supervisor to whom the agent called to request certain information.
Disadvantageously, in known call distributors, the agent is restricted from taking the customer call off of hold. Therefore, the agent cannot communicate with the calling customer to inform him or her that the information needed to answer a particular question is being researched by a supervisor. Unfortunately, in such known systems, the customer call is maintained on hold during the entire period required to answer the customer question or at least until the lead agent removes the servicing agent from being on hold. This is extremely annoying to the calling customers, since they cannot communicate with the servicing agents, and the customers have no knowledge of the status of their call. If there is a rather lengthy delay before the agent servicing the call is removed from being on hold, the customer, in many situations, will hang up, and a possible sale is lost from the aggravated customer.
Furthermore, in known call distribution systems when an agent has placed a received call on hold while at the same time is being placed on hold by another, the agent is restricted from making, transferring or receiving any other telephonic calls. This significantly limits the efficiency of the agent. The agent is placed in a state of confinement during the entire period in the agent's internal unit is being held by another. Agents are forced to wait without being able to perform any other actions at their respective internal telephonic units until they are removed from being on hold. Disadvantageously, in known automatic call distributors agents in this situation cannot outdial other individuals to aid in servicing calls, or accept calls received from other agents to help answer urgent questions. The restriction of such call related functions in known call distributors leads to inefficient call handling and increased customer dissatisfaction.